When it comes a time to decide when your child should go to preschool, you may be wondering if it is really worth putting your little one in playgroup.
It is a valid question to ask when you are looking for the best play-based preschools in Singapore.
What are some of the benefits of placing your child in playgroup, and how does it help them get ready for preschool?
Building Emotional Confidence Through Playgroups
Children in playgroup are already at the perfect age for building close, developing relationships at home with their family members. This offers them a real sense of attachment and stability.
At this young age, they can also comfortably spend some time away from their primary caregivers as a safe test of separation. This helps them to build emotional confidence and some measure of independence, while at the same time reinforcing the concept of a daily reunion.
With this means that the children will always be assured that they will come home safely to their parents and other family members.
In KiddiWinkie Schoolhouse, time is dedicated to caring for the children’s emotional needs. This includes helping them to find focus, calming strategies, and demonstrating patience and kindness with each other.
Playgroup and Classroom Routines, Schedules, and Activities
Children feel most comfortable with daily routines. This instils a sense of familiarity in them and ensures that they have a good understanding of the few activities that should be repeated every day for the forming of good habits – for example, washing up before and after mealtimes.
In the best playgroups in Singapore, the children’s days are organised flexibly around certain routines such as playtime, mealtime, naptime, etc. These routines help children feel safe and secure and help them to understand the concept of time management.
This will help them settle in much quicker when they graduate from playgroup to preschool, as they will already have a good sense of the school day and routines.
Playgroups Encourage Cognitive and Linguistic Development
Joining a playgroup can help give your child a headstart in hitting developmental milestones.
Most playgroups in Singapore offer bilingual programmes, for example, which can help expose your growing child to languages that may not be commonly spoken at home.
After all, children acquire language through interaction, not only with parents and other adults, but also with other children. It is much easier for children to acquire a second language effortlessly when they regularly interact with speakers of those languages.
Furthermore, the best playgroups in Singapore tailor their core programmes specifically to learning areas that are crucial for small children – language, literacy, and numeracy among others.
At KiddiWinkie Schoolhouse, our curriculum is structured to build a child’s foundation in these key areas. A number of programmes are introduced from the Playgroup age such as:
1. Pic-a-Book 图乐窝 (Playgroup & Pre-Nursery)
Pic-a-Book is designed to ignite your child's love for literacy through creative play and storytelling from their perspective. It brings beloved story moments to life, allowing them to engage in verbal expression in English and Chinese, expanding their vocabulary and comprehension skills while having fun!
2. Backpack Stories 背包旅游记 (Playgroup to Kindergarten 2)
Children will experience the joy of cultural exploration with Backpack Stories, a creative writing program that takes them on exciting 'journeys' worldwide. It's a fun way to introduce them to different cultures, fostering appreciation and understanding of global diversity. Through age-appropriate journaling, they'll have the chance to express their thoughts and experiences from a young age, laying the foundation for creative writing skills while celebrating the uniqueness of each country.
3. 文化之窗 – Chinese Cultural Immersion Programme (Playgroup to Kindergarten 2)
This special programme is conducted entirely in Chinese, and aims to inspire children of all language proficiency levels to embrace the joy of learning the Chinese language. We achieve this by exploring Chinese culture through art, cuisine, festivals, and more. It's a delightful and engaging journey of discovery from playgroup to kindergarten 2.
Read more about the KiddiWinkie Schoolhouse Curriculum for Early Years & Preschoolers.
Learning Social Skills through Play
Children begin to really interact with their peers when they are around two years of age. They begin engaging in more pretend play, which helps to develop language, thinking and creative skills.
Interactive play also teaches them empathy and compassion as they learn to resolve conflicts and cooperate with each other.
Playgroups offer children greater opportunities to interact with other kids their own age, an opportunity that not all children will have at home.
In playgroup, children form friendships, communicate their emotions, and handle interpersonal challenges. By attending playgroup even just a few times a week, children will be better equipped to manage relationships with their peers in preschool.
Looking for a Playgroup in Singapore For Your Child?
KiddiWinkie Schoolhouse offers an Early Years programme for children of playgroup age. Find out more about our curriculum and book a tour at your preferred campus to see how our children are encouraged to explore, discover and showcase their creativity and imagination.
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